Gen Z faces a mental health crisis. We saw an opportunity to provide them with wellness techniques.

The biggest innovation in Headspace XR sits at its core. We took the best of the Quest platform; its social, immersive, playful qualities and reimagined Headspace’s powerful mindfulness techniques for a younger audience. It’s the first open-world game dedicated to wellness.

The hero experience “Power Up” invents a new way to practice mindfulness using movement, music and captivating visuals. "The best I can describe it is if Beat Saber and Tai Chi had a baby." The Verge.

We also invented a new way to travel using hand tracking called the Slingshot Locomotion. You pinch and pull back to slingshot forward. An innovative mental model with a simple gesture. Our avatars are inclusive by design and the most dynamic on the platform with particle energy running through them and customisation unlocked through progression.

An immersive playground for the mind, Headspace XR is a first-of-its-kind XR product where users can move, play, relax, meditate and explore an open world with their friends, all while learning lifelong mindfulness skills they can benefit from in the real world.

Headspace XR leverages Virtual and Mixed Reality technology to create user-centric and engaging activities. Players explore a large-scale open world, offering personalised experiences determined by their mood. So players really get what they need, when they need it.

The world is split into three main zones, our hero experience, The Power Up in the energy dome is a great place to feel energised (think Beat Saber meets Tai Chi.) There are 13 different wellness activities to choose from, including guided box breathing to unwind, soothing body scans that feel like warm particle hugs, slingshot games to let loose and a guided visualisation exercise to quiet negative self-talk.

Headspace XR employs a targeted strategy to address Gen Z's mental health concerns through innovative VR/MR technology. Recognising new approaches are needed to resonate with this tech-savvy generation.

Three guiding principles dictated all design choices:

- every decision was relevant to the audience

- repeatability was priority for helping people form a mindfulness habit

- mindfulness inspired everything - UI, design and avatars.

Going beyond traditional mindfulness apps by utilising hand tracking and gamified activities within this vast virtual world. Repeat use is rewarded through gamified progression, and the mixed reality experiences help players create positive associations with objects in their real world. Those objects then act as day-to-day mindfulness prompts helping them bring the exercises back into their real-world lives.

Headspace XR leverages VR/MR technology on the Meta Quest platform (Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro) for a global audience. Launched in March 2024, it features innovative solutions for high-quality visuals and soundscapes within the vast virtual world. This environment fosters a sense of well-being, enhanced by an immersive reactive soundscape from Brain Audio.

The first-of-its-kind XR Product launched on the Meta Quest platform, targeting a global audience. We premiered the experience at SXSW 2024, with panels, and exclusive demo spaces.

This is a large-scale, global game that can be played alone or with friends. Multiplayer allows for up to 8 friends per session and is invite-only so players can foster a strong, safe community.

The overall production timeline was around 18 months.

Headspace XR will continue to evolve with more content and capabilities being added, including teletherapy and live group meditations.

Just launched in March 2024, Headspace XR has had a huge global impact and public response. Securing coverage in major publications (The Verge, TechRadar, The Mirror) generating over 171 million media impressions and counting, along with over 3 million views on the Quest Store. At SXSW 2024, over 500 attendees demoed the experience, with 95% reporting high satisfaction and audiences attending two talks featuring the project. User reviews highlight reduced stress and positive social experiences.

Later this year, Headspace will conduct a randomised control trial at Virginia Tech to evaluate how Headspace XR helps people with social health and stress reduction. The study aims to explore the direct mental health benefits of mindfulness in virtual environments, specifically providing evidence supporting the effectiveness of using Headspace XR in the Metaverse. This will contribute to the scientific exploration of the applicability of immersive reality in the future of digital health.